Fur lined injection molded footwear and method of making same

ABSTRACT

Fur lined injection molded footwear includes an inner layer of animal fur or fake fur which contacts the wearer&#39;s foot. Joined to the fur layer is an intermediate layer which is integral with the fur layer and is bonded to the thermoplastic shell of the footwear.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/337,490 filed Jul. 22, 2014.

BACKGROUND

In many types of footwear it is desirable to have a fur lining whichextends out of the top of the footwear and is folded back down over itsouter wall. The fur lining can be animal fur or synthetic or fake fur.Prior art fur lined footwear is made by overlaying the fur liner on theother components of the footwear and then sewing or gluing thecomponents together to make the finished footwear. However, this cannotbe done when the footwear is injection molded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Fur lined footwear includes an inner fur layer, an intermediate layerwhich is integral with the fur layer and outer layer of injection moldedthermoplastic material.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoingspecification are used therein as terms of description and not oflimitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms andexpressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and describedor portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the inventionis defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fur liner, which is part of thefootwear of the subject invention, which is made from synthetic fur.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a liner, similar to FIG. 1, which ismade from animal fur.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the method for making thefootwear of the subject invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a mold used in making the subjectinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, a mold 10 contains a cavity 12 thatdefines the outer surface of the shell 30 or outer layer of thefootwear. A last 14 fits into the mold and has an outer surface thatdefines the inner surface of the shell 30. In the embodiment illustratedin the drawings, the mold 10 includes three pieces with a top piece 16having a cavity that defines one side of the footwear, a bottom piece 18having a cavity that defines the opposite side of the footwear, and abase 20 having a cavity that defines the outsole. The ends of the topand bottom pieces 16, 18 which are at the top of the footwear, arejoined by means of a hinge 22, which allows the mold to be opened toinsert the last. The base is releasably attached to the top and bottompieces after they have been closed using conventional attachmentmechanisms.

Before the last 14 is inserted into the mold 10, a liner 24 is placed onthe last. The liner 24 substantially covers the entire last andpreferably extends upwardly beyond the portion of the last that willform the upper end of the injection molded thermoplastic material whichwill become the shell 30 of the footwear. The liner has an inner furlayer 26 which faces the last, and an intermediate layer 28 which willbe bonded to the thermoplastic shell. The fur layer can be real fur,FIG. 2, or fake or synthetic fur, FIG. 1. In the former case theintermediate layer will be animal skin. In the latter case theintermediate layer will be a knit or woven material or somethingsimilar. In either case the fur and the intermediate layer are oppositesides of the same material. The liner 24 is formed from fabric segmentswhich are sewn to one another to form an integral unit.

The liner 24 is placed on the last before the last is inserted into thecavity of the open top and bottom pieces. Once the last and liner areplaced in the mold and the mold is closed, thermoplastic material isheated to where it becomes fluid and is injected into the mold throughconventional injection process. The thermoplastic material surrounds theliner and will become the footwear shell 30. Once the thermoplasticmaterial cools the mold is opened and the newly formed footwear isremoved from the mold. The last is then removed and the liner is trimmedto the desired height, which typically will be above the top of thethermoplastic shell 30 so that the fur layer can be folded back downover the top of the thermoplastic shell as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of thedrawings. When completed the thermoplastic shell, intermediate layer andfur layer are bonded into an integral unit.

What is claimed is:
 1. A footwear comprising: (a) an inner fur layer;(b) an outer layer of injection molded thermoplastic material; and (c)an intermediate later which is in between said fur layer and said outerlayer, such that said intermediate layer is attached to said fur layerand that said outer layer is bonded which is attached to saidintermediate layer.
 2. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said inner furlayer is animal fur.
 3. The footwear of claim 2 wherein saidintermediate layer is animal skin.
 4. The footwear of claim 1 whereinsaid inner fur layer is wool and said intermediate layer is knit wool.5. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said inner fur layer is fake fur. 6.The footwear of claim 1 wherein said inner fur layer is synthetic fur.7. A liner for placement on a last for injection molding footwear, saidliner comprising: (a) an inner fur layer; and (b) an intermediate layerwhich is attached to said fur layer.